Programs

Christian Science permeates every aspect of the program at Camp Bow-Isle. From Lesson Study and metaphysical sharing before activities, to praying about a specific situation and meeting with the Journal-listed practitioner at camp, every campers and staff member at Camp Bow-Isle is learning more about their relationship with God.

Our programs are broken down by age and gender, with Junior Girls and Senior Girls during one half of the summer, and Junior Boys and Senior Boys during the other half. Family Camp rounds out the summer with two one-week sessions in late August.

Each youth session lasts two weeks and includes a plethora of camp activities as well as delicious meals, daily duties, Sunday School and testimony meetings. Junior campers also take a one-night outtrip on Bowen Island, and Senior campers go on a four-day trip off the island. (See Camp Activities for more information.)

There’s a lot to be said for a Sunday School class held at camp. The camp practitioner, camp director and counselors serve as teachers, and campers may meet in one of the camp buildings, or even outside! It’s a time to ask questions, to listen to others, and to learn more about each individual’s relationship to God. While we practice Christian Science each day at Camp Bow-Isle, Sunday School is the only time when we actually teach it, according to the Church Manual.

Staff and even senior campers may be invited to prepare readings for a mid-week testimony meeting at camp. And during the second half of the meeting, just like in churches at home, everyone is welcome to share testimonies of healing and remarks about Christian Science. Sometimes these meetings are the very first time a camper has shared a healing they have had as a result of prayer. We encourage everyone to share and to listen respectfully to their friends.

The food at Camp Bow-Isle is lovingly prepared by cooks who aim to create meals that are appealing, delicious, and nutritious. We love our cooks! (And they love us right back!) Following breakfast and dinner, campers and staff help with daily duties such as washing dishes, scrubbing pots, sweeping floors, and cleaning biffies. Everyone works together in tent groups, laughing and singing songs until the work is finished.

Camp Bow-Isle is located on 208 acres in the middle of beautiful Bowen Island, a 20-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia. The ferry ride alone is worth the trip, especially on a sunny summer day when the mountains seem to soar out of the sea! Just three hours north of Seattle, Bowen Island is a tourist destination with a year-round population of about 3,500. The deer are plentiful, and the fields, forest and sea are a magical combination. Come see for yourself what makes this such a treasured island!